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Chemical and Radiochemical Composition of the Rongelapese Diet it is low in fat, protein, an(l osh hut fairly high in carbohydrate. “rhc ~ttriaIion in gross chemical crmlposition of Ihe diets c.swnincd Inny k accounted for by the broad variability of the different diets. The hubitat of the Rongelapese probably does not demand a high-energy diet, which may partially justify Ihr lower fat intake. Levels of calcium and phosphorus stem IW1OW the ntini mum required fur maintenance of a proper calciultl-phospll{)rus balance. ‘fhe diet seems adequate in magnesium aud potassium but slightly low in s4}(liunl. The nickel. cobalt, and copper contents seem high in the Rongelap rations, tnanganese content is low, and iron and zinc compare favorably with minimum daily requirements. [fight levels of cohidt-60 and zinc-6S are associated with each other and with rations containing Ioctil fish. The higher levels of strontium-90 and cesium-137 are found where local fruit was consumed. Coconut contributes little .trontium.9tl and pandanus the most. Rations with higher zinc-65 Ao coutain higher Iewk of stable zinc. indicating that local sea foods may he the mnin source of zinc in the diet. (:esium-137. strontium-90. and mhalt-60 slwvtively. There is probably a Ilet addition Of mineml~ 10 R~~lurelap ~~il~ from imported foods. INTRODUCTION liill({~ of rdionuclides and mitlerds ingested BEST COPY AVAIMBLE
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ain island or ar to be tile osition and tile lally seen to ~ Table 1. Description oi food rations collected at Rongelap Island m September. 1959 (tach sample Pandanns paste. boiled Nith bully beei 252 Boiled rice w /coconut milk 249 Coconut and bread dough, Brvad, local ( coconut milk, not saved J Rice and fish mixed Cuconut w baked dough I{icc and fish mixed Rice and fish mixed Iar and it ~vas impractical to iollow each individual throughout the (lay. Thereiorc, all or’ the samples tion. Hotvever, there does appear to be a reascmable agreement {vith ,[uantlties listed by Murai constant weight ill IIIC laboratory at Seattle ( Table 1 ). The entire diet ior each individual \vas pou der. Subsamples oi the pm! dcr uwe taken lor fat, protein, carbohytlrate, and rarliochemical analyses. Portions weighing 40-?50 g were Ivet-ashed beakers ior gamma-ray spectroscopy. The gamma-counting equipment consisted of a in conjunction with a 256-channel analyzer with a digital print-out. The total counts per minute under the photopeak were calculated by summing counts per minute of all channels included in the peak and subtracting the background counts. The counting ethciency for the gamma energies measured was determined by calibrating the instrument \vith standards with an error oi & 1070. FnlloN ing analysis by gamma .nertrl~.rcpy. the asivxi samples were dissolved in a known volume aliquot hy the methti oi Kawabata and Held t 1958), in which a combination oi nitric acid precipitation and ion-exchange procedures is used. tion oi oxalic acid and contirmed by flame spectrophotometry-, with the internal standard techniwe mation Ui potassium by titration oi the cobaltinitrite wnh potassium pcrmarwmntc ( Hibhard and Seneral tunction ot the system hare been described In determining magnesium, an aliqtrot oi the resin column oi precalculated capacity, lnteriering anions ~vere removed by elution with two-column volumes oi distilled \vater. The resin \vas then stripped oi cations \vitll three-column volumes oi 2-% HCI, and tlw uluate was neutralized to methyl removed by prccipitotiou u ith .mmtonium oxaktte iollowcd by boiling and filtration. The filtrate ~$as
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Tabk 4. Radioisotopes (disintegrations per minute per gram) in rations from ~ongelap b Scgatrve values are g?ven to indicate that there are errors in addition to the couiltirig urror which cannot be specifically accounted for. ;,hat~,. was Jllowd to settle overnight, removed by tiit(.ring, dissolved in 6 drops of concentrated t I..+ ~,, and made to volume with water. Ylagne- .ttuu was (Mcrmined by titrating an aliquot of this :,~ctrit.ally by methods described by Sandeil ( 1%9). [IN dcnwnts tvere initially separated by selective rlution of their chloride complexes from an anion- ,.x{.llwrqe. resin. Kraus and Moore (1953) have .tu}~sn that the chloride complexes oi the transit i{,i)al ule!ntmts nickel through zinc are adsorbed :Iqlliv(l to these samples. 17at Ivas determined by a modification oi the Table 1 lists the components of the Whr food rations collected at Rongektp Island. Tables 2 anti 3 show proximate composition and trace-element content of the rations, and Tables -1 and 5 present levels of radioisotopes. Results are given on a percentage or unit Iveight basis ( Tables 2 and 4) and as amount for total diet I Tables 3 and 5). The iormer basis permits comparison of the relative composition oi individual rations made by specific items in each diet; the latter Lasis shows the actual atnounts consumeci in a 2-Lhr period. In evaluating the chemical constituents consumed by an individual in a 2-i-hr period, the gross ~veight of the total diet is of much importance. By comparing the proximate chemical composition on a percent~ge basis some (of the” items constituting the samples, it is possible to account ior the variation in tmli~ture. fat. protein. carlmllydrate and ash Since information 011 the tlutritional aspects of the Rongelapese diet is limited. com- i I)arison of the data ~vith data for other areas is prohahly Ilot Ineaningiul, Tile gross percentage composition indi~~tes that the diets Jvitll the recmmnemled daily dietary allow-
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J-1-llr ratiwls oi the Rongelapese appear to drawn Ao(lt the apparent lotv fat content of levels seem to be ad’equate but the phoslevels appear to k ~liglltly IJC1OWthe normal suggested intake levels, although no information is available as to the minimum daily requirement of sodium. The potassium level is Iolver than the sodium content, w-hich is Kent A 31cCance t 1941) have suggested that rm ordinary adult diet will supply 0.30.5 mg of nickel daily, On the basis ot these ,re]a})ese rations appears to be higher than* usual in some cases. Xickel salts frequently vessels, and small quantities of nickel mav It dso may be that some of the native food components are high in nickel content. that 4.6 ]ng of manganese are required per dav to keep an adult male in tnanganese I)aiallce. on this basis. the [longelapese ioml a~c Wl{llt dtet oi good quality supplies 0.005a(lult humans indicate a minimum copper ments given. The iron in the diet appears to compare favorably Ivith the minimum (iaily requirement as suggested by the N’ahas given normal daily food intake oi zinc as 12 mg. The Rongelapese food appears to have large variation in zinc content, and on the average is less than S mg daily. The higher levels of “cobalt-60 and zinc-45 are associated with each other and with raticJns containing local tish. This is to be expected since these isotopes are founc[ prirnarilv in marine organisms { Dunning, 1957 ~. The higher levels of strrmtium-90 Ivas consumed, [n generid, nigher levels of <trontiurn-~90 are coincident with higher levels oi cesium- 137. Coconut contributes little wcnltium-90, and pandanus the most. Tile average value for the daily intake of 0.2S g, The average daily intake in terms
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Intake oi zinc intent, and on her and with This is to be ere local iruit gher levels of nus the most. take in terms is atwtt three manganese requirements oi the human adult. Research Flnllctin Xo. 59. The Pwitic ~cicnce as m ildcx oi natura[ly occurring radioactivity :netah{]Ii>fn in man. Biwhem. ~. 29, 476. tory (now Laboratory oi Radiation Biology 1, by man. ?. Cobalt, nickel, tin and manganese. ~,lernents manganese to zinc in hydrochloric l[uroi, \[~ry. 1954. Xutrition study in Micronesia. .itoil Rcwarch Bulletin No. 27. The I%citic
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Science Board, Xational Academy oi Sciences, Cumpany, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. science Publishers, X’ew York. Tompsett, S. L. 1934. The copper content of Sons, Xew York. Anderson, Harry .i. Claypool, and James B. Hartgering. 1959. The determination of internally deposited radioactive isotopes in the Marshallese people by excretion analysis. Proc. of Hearings oi Joint Committee on :~tomic Energy, 86th Congr,, First session on fallout from nuclear !veapons tests. \’olume 2,